Inspection regimes are criticised

Since 2000 the Government has passed more than 40 new laws that give inspectors the right to enter premises, take samples and seize evidence, Federation of Small Businesses national policy chairman John Walker will reveal today.

Since 2000 the Government has passed more than 40 new laws that give inspectors the right to enter premises, take samples and seize evidence, Federation of Small Businesses national policy chairman John Walker will reveal today.

In front of an audience of over 600 entrepreneurs at the FSB's 2005 Conference in Birmingham, he is expected to paint a worrying picture of overlapping and outdated inspection regimes intruding on the day-to-day running of small businesses.

The indictment will come hot on the heels of a Budget in which the Chancellor accepted Hampton Review recommendations to streamline and rationalise inspections.

But in his keynote policy speech Mr Walker will tell delegates that despite calling for the merging of 35 inspectorates into nine, Hampton needs to go the extra mile.

He is expected to say: "In 1999, research for the FSB revealed that over 300 different types of inspectors had a right of access to business premises. But since then a host of new powers of inspection have been introduced in agriculture, policing and security, employment and trade, environmental protection, education and social services, health and safety and hygiene, utilities and taxation.

"Every single inspection interrupts day-to-day business. Hardworking small business owners must be able to concentrate on what they are good at - job creation and wealth generation.

"The Hampton Review is absolutely correct to criticise onerous enforcement regimes and I welcome its recommendations. It will be even more important to ensure that this welcome reduction in the number of inspection bodies is matched with a pro-rata reduction in the actual number of inspections.

"A radical overhaul of the inspection regimes is required to engender respect for business regulations.

"Ideally we would like to see an all-purpose inspector.

"However, governments have been reluctant to pursue this idea telling us that it would not be possible for one inspector to know the full range of laws, but this knowledge is expected of our members on a daily basis."